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JA CAREER DAYS CONNECT STUDENTS WITH INTERNSHIPS AND CAREERS

Did you always know what you were going to be when you grew up? Brian Harms never did. He
surely never thought he would be an Industrial Hygienist. He never even heard of that career
when he was in high school, or college for that matter.
They don’t check people’s teeth by the way, as Brian’s mother-in-law thought at first. This type of
Hygienist helps organizations follow OSHA guidelines by assessing health risk in the workplace,
such as sampling air for harmful substances, measuring noise levels in factories, and supervising
safe removal of chemical spills or asbestos.
Katie, a former student at Pewaukee High School, never thought she would be an Industrial
Hygienist either until she met Brian at the JA Career Days this past year. After hearing Brian’s
presentation that day, she thought this would be a more interesting pathway for her. She liked
math and science, but not the design work typically intertwined with Civil Engineering - her
original plan. Katie decided to visit Brian at TRC Environmental Corporation to learn more about
this potential career. He guided her on coursework to take and what colleges he recommended
for certification in the field. He also told her to reconnect if she needed a college internship down
the road as that pathway had worked well for TRC in the past. TRC's recent intern, Evan, was
another former Pewaukee High School student who learned more about the Industrial Hygienist
career from Brian.
Since 2010, all 9th-12th grade students at Pewaukee High School attend JA Career Days. “JA
Career Days, in a nutshell, is a very valuable program,” Brian says. “It gives students the
knowledge of what’s out there, what they could do, and how their interests fit.” Brian also feels
this has been a valuable investment for TRC to present at JA Career Days as it brings awareness to
their field. When Brian puts out a job posting for an open position, “It’s crickets,” he says because
most people don’t know anything about the role. “This field is growing,” Brian adds, “so the
opportunity is out there for young people.”

JA Career Days are connecting students with positions that pique their interests, match their skills,
and are oftentimes in high demand.

Grow your workforce by presenting at a JA Career Day. Contact your local JA office today.